Hartford Whalers Coaches Over The Years

JOHN LONG/THE HARTFORD COURANT

Jack Kelley, right, coach of the New England Whalers looks on during the game on April 1, 1975 against the Phoenix Roadrunners. His Whalers became the first WHA champions and won the Avco World Trophy in 1973, beating the Winnipieg Jets in 5 games. Kelley also won the Howard Baldwin Trophy for coach of the year the same year. He was inducted into the U. S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993.

Jack Kelley, right, coach of the New England Whalers looks on during the game on April 1, 1975 against the Phoenix Roadrunners. His Whalers became the first WHA champions and won the Avco World Trophy in 1973, beating the Winnipieg Jets in 5 games. Kelley also won the Howard Baldwin Trophy for coach of the year the same year. He was inducted into the U. S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993. (JOHN LONG/THE HARTFORD COURANT)

Larry Pleau, the first player to sign a Whaler's contract in 1972, had two stints as the head coach where he amassed a 81-117-26 record from 1980-1983 and 1988-89. After he was let go, he moved behind the scenes, taking a job as the assistant general manager of player development for New York Rangers in 1989, and was later promoted to assistant general manager and director fo player personnel. In 1997, he was hired as general manager for the Blues his team won the President's Trophy for best record in the NHL in 2000.

Larry Pleau, the first player to sign a Whaler's contract in 1972, had two stints as the head coach where he amassed a 81-117-26 record from 1980-1983 and 1988-89. After he was let go, he moved behind the scenes, taking a job as the assistant general manager of player development for New York Rangers in 1989, and was later promoted to assistant general manager and director fo player personnel. In 1997, he was hired as general manager for the Blues his team won the President's Trophy for best record in the NHL in 2000.

The Whalers had 19 coaches in their history. Unfortunately, the only coaches to finish with winning records coached the New England Whalers in the WHA - after the Whalers moved to the NHL, the wins became less frequent. Still, many great coaches oversaw the Whalers over the years and some former players have gone on to have great success on the bench. Please enjoy the following some pictures of the most notable coaches and some former players-turned-coaches dug from the Courant archives and scanned for your viewing pleasure.